Health Officials Warn Of Overdose 'Spike' In Hamilton County

Local health officials are reporting a spike in the number of drug overdoses. Hamilton County Public Health reports 17 people arrived at hospital emergency rooms, and emergency responders received 21 calls for help from Tuesday morning to Wednesday night.

A report from the Hamilton County Heroin Coalition indicates both statistics are higher than the historical average for the dates. The reason for the spike is not yet clear, but the report says changes in the composition of illicit drugs are responsible for past anomalies.

Assistant Health Commissioner Craig Davidson says there will be brief increases in the number of overdoses from time to time. "Compared to previous years, our daily average is much lower than it was, but we track this against a moving threshold," he explains. "Relative to recent days we did see a brief spike, but in terms of the larger context, we are down quite a bit."

Public Health and the Coalition issued a report Thursday alerting first responders, medical professionals, drug users and their family members of the increased risk.

The highest number of reported overdoses happened in Delhi Township, West Price Hill and Westwood, but ODs were not limited to those neighborhoods.

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A few months ago, Kourtnaye Sturgeon helped save someone's life. She was driving in downtown Indianapolis when she saw people gathered around a car on the side of the road. Sturgeon pulled over and a man told her there was nothing she could do: Two men had overdosed on opioids and appeared to be dead.

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The Hamilton County Justice Center has several programs designed to help inmates with different issues. Several veterans are kept together because they can identify with each other's needs. Inmates who are about to be released are housed together as they receive counseling designed to prepare them to re-enter the world at large. The Justice Center also has a section devoted to inmates with addiction issues. That program is going to be expanded.